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In those parts of the world where there is no ground infrastructure the remotely piloted variant of the Airlander 10 will provide internet connectivity at affordable prices.
About
The Airlander 10 is a new type of aircraft that combines the properties of an airship (buoyant lift), aeroplane (aerodynamic lift) and helicopter (vectored thrust). It only requires one eighth of the fuel to undertake a helicopter journey with the same number of passengers, freight or comms payload. Its endurance, without refuelling, is measured in weeks (provide we have permission for remote piloted operations) and its range in thousands of kilometres. HAV proposes to develop a More Electric then All Electric variant with solar panels and electric engines that will enable its endurance to be increased to one year with zero carbon emissions. HAV does need a commercial end user and/or sponsor to assist in funding this development. The image above is of the aircraft undertaking its first flight in the USA in 2012. The aircraft is close to full re-assembly, following its eventual return from the USA, and can be viewed at HAV’s hangar in Cardington just south of Bedford.
Key Benefits
The Airlander 10 can take off and land from any roughly level surface including grass, water, ice, snow and marsh in winds of up to 35 knots. It has a top speed of 80 knots but the endurance figures quoted above are based on normally flying at 20 knots. An example application would be for it to hold low altitude geo-stationery position, against a 20 knot headwind, over a remote or disaster-struck part of the world providing internet and comms connectivity. It has a maximum altitude of 20,000 feet. Its full up cost per flying hour, including asset depreciation, is approximately £1,100 in this role. Its hull is RF transparent and it can host a multitude of antennae without any risk of co-site interference.
Applications
The fossil fuel powered pre-production variant has already flown under military aerospace regulations and will be flying in the UK in 2016 to complete its conversion to a civil aircraft. It will be available for funded demos and trials of its capability, and its compatibility with various payloads, from the third quarter of 2016. The production version of this aircraft will be available in 2018 and HAV plans to have the More Electric variant available by 2020 by which time the civil aerospace authorities intend to have defined the rules for remote piloting of civil aircraft of this size. The aircraft has been designed for, but not currently with, remote pilot control.